Operation Untouchable
by sjam
Summary: When Commander Shepard infiltrates an illegal facility he finds the product of one of their experiments. Hardworking and kind, Anaya brings something different to the Normandy. However, love is never easy.


Operation Untouchable

When Commander Shepard infiltrates an illegal facility he finds the product of one of their experiments. Hardworking and kind, Anaya brings something different to the Normandy.

However love is never easy, and with her weaknesses against biotic implants and her prejudice against people who regard her as lower than them builds walls against the people who could help her feel _touchable_, human again.

**Notes:**

Anaya – (An – eye – ya)

'Shifting' is another term for when Anaya goes into her semi-transparent form, because it's really annoying having to write 'materialising' (especially as it comes up with a red line underneath it 'cos I can't spell the stupid word.

Yes, this is highly unlikely – tough. I think it's cool, and I personally think that she has enough weaknesses for her powers not to be too mary-sueish.

I don't own the game. I would then have more money, and probably would not be sitting on my arse in front of my computer all day.

**Chapter One: ****White Walls**

Garrus glanced around the room again, aware of the fact that his Commander, John Shepard, and Kaidan were covering his back, but still unable to let his guard down. He deftly decrypted the computer and read out the flashes of text on the screen.

"They must have had some warning that we were coming - there are many guards; biotics mostly, and they're guarding the last 'experiment' left. She's a nineteen year old girl named Anaya, though mostly known as Project Untouchable'."

There was a moment of silence as Garrus attempted to access the files on the girl, and found them heavily encrypted. He downloaded the information to the internal hard-drive in his armour and sent it to Commander Shepard.

Shepard hesitated for a moment before accessing the files and reading the text that scrolled down the inside visor of his helmet.

_Project Untouchable_

_**Specimen stats (post):**__ Goes by the name of Anaya Lewis, daughter of a normal family on earth – has one other sister. Aged twelve when captured. Very resistant, injured several scientists, resulting in a tainted experiment as more weaknesses had to be added._

_**Weaknesses: **__Very susceptible when nearby people with biotic implants (headaches and other more severe symptoms) When 'de-materialised' she is extremely vulnerable against biotics, less so in normal state. _

_**Strengths: **__Years of work has granted her the ability to become almost invisible (can see the outline of her figure, (like a see through silhouette) and be mostly unaffected by objects around so she is able to go through them. The barriers of walls and doors are harder to get through, causing pain. Also expected but not yet confirmed, in her de-materialised state she can touch enemies and cause them severe distress. Trained in hand-to-hand (excelled) and good at gymnastics._

_**Project Status is incomplete, but resistant from specimen is causing difficulties. **_

()Operation Untouchable()

Commander Shepard felt a pang of sympathy for the poor girl, along with a surge of determination. Though her weaknesses were many and awful to imagine, her strengths may come in usual whilst they were chasing after answers _and _Saren.

"Okay," he said, lifted off his helmet. "Alenko, go round the labs on the right, Garrus and I will try and sort out the guards – she's vulnerable to biotics, so if you see any make sure she's out of the way."

Kaidan nodded, wondering why _he_, a biotic was sent to go and find her, but didn't argue. It was easier to get along when you weren't questioning the Commander's orders – there were fewer arguments, and Shepard was usually right.

_Usually._

Kaidan quietly bypassed the lock to one of the 'Specimen' rooms, resisting the urge to pull out his pistol. Though he hated to feel vulnerable, he didn't want to scare the girl off – and considering the amount of combat training she must've had, she'd probably have a pretty good chance of kicking his arse.

He gave the room a quick scan before walking over to the thin mattress in one corner. It was all white – the padded walls, the floor – everything.

"Shit!" he swore loudly as someone hit him from behind, sending both him and his attacker crashing to the floor. After rolling over several times, he looked up to see a pretty girl in a simple white/cream shirt and trousers and plain trainers straddling him, her blue eyes wary.

"Who are you?" she said angrily, pushing a strand of black hair form her face. Kaidan couldn't help admiring that although she seemed pretty small in height and just generally, she was pinning him down with apparent ease.

"Kaidan Alenko – I'm with the Alliance Military. We got a tip about this facility and wanted to try and get everyone out, including you."

She glared at him for a moment before rolling off of him and lending him a hand to pull him to his feet.

"I'm Anaya – or 'project untouchable' if you like. Now pass me one f those guns and get me out of here," she noticed his uncertainty, and she rolled her eyes with a laugh, "I won't shoot you – shotgun or pistol would be preferred, though I guess you use the former."

He handed her a spare head-set and the shotgun, pulling out his own pistol as there was a loud explosion and half of the wall fell down in a cloud of tumbling bricks and dust.

He back-pedalled behind a nearby crate, watching with fascination as Anaya de-materialised into her almost-invisible state and flung herself _through_ another large crate nearby, raising an eyebrow as the curses under her breath came through the ear-piece.

"Oi, I _can_ hear you, you know." He said, peeking out from his hiding place and firing his pistol a few times, a sense of satisfaction building as three of the guards dropped to the floor. He glanced out of the corner of his eye as Anaya swung into visibility, holding on tight as she fired the powerful weapon in her hands, resisting the kickback effect that always sent _him_ back a few steps.

"'Kay, I think we've got 'em all." He muttered, standing up and beckoning to Anaya who followed. "Commander, we've got Anaya – I gave her my shotgun, but it isn't very good; anyone else got a spare?"

Garrus's voice came through, background noises of gunfire crackling.

"She can have mine, and my pistol – but hurry up, we're in a tight spot over here."

Anaya nodded to show she'd heard and they began to run down the corridor toward the noises of combat.

()Operation Untouchable()

Anaya scowled at the headache niggling at the back of her head – she realised that Kaidan must have biotic implants, and from the occasional throbbing, probably an L2. She told herself to shake it off as they crept into the room where the Commander and the Turian guy were.

She looked around and de-materialised as a scattering if bullets came her way, hoping that they didn't see them go through her transparent-ish body – she didn't want them sending any biotics down.

Her eyes soon found the Turian, ducking behind a crate as he had a quick break. She rolled and flipped trough the crates to his position, eyes widening as she saw him look down to reload as a host of bullets were fired.

Hoping that her abilities were still as good as they had been a week ago when they'd improved her speed in her de-materialised state, she took a deep breath and ran, her speed seeming impossible for any _normal_ person to accomplish.

At the last possible moment, she materialised and landed heavily on top of the Turian, apologising as she knocked the breath from his lungs. He was about to ask her what the hell she was doing, when a large amount of bullets whizzed over his head.

"Hi there, I'm Anaya." The girl said with a smile, wincing as he pushed her off of him.

"Garrus. Thanks by the way." He said shortly, handing her his shotgun and pistol, sighing as she tossed the old gun away. Anaya flashed him a quick grin before reloading her pistol and bouncing to her feet, continuously firing until it over-heated.

"Aw crap." She muttered, ducking back down as a few shots were fired her way.

"Biotics headed in." Shepard said quickly, and Garrus couldn't miss the terror that spread over Anaya's face, understandable fright.

"Fuck." Anaya stated, and though her face and voice was the picture of absolute calm, her eyes were full of fear.

She took a breath and rolled to a different stack of crates, pulling out her shotgun and aiming through a gap at a nearby biotic, the implant in his skull filling her head with an irritating buzzing.

_Damn you, you irritating bastards._

She made sure that the barrel was aimed directly at his head before firing, a slow smile of satisfaction spreading over her face.

_Easy as pie – you must be losing your touch._

She ducked with a exclamation as bullets poured through the crates, and cursed her own stupidity. Of all the crates to take cover behind she'd just have to get behind the bloody _wooden_ ones.

Every sense in her screamed to de-materialise, but she knew that the bullets were bait – if she shifted, she would end up thrown up against the wall screaming.

However as the next bullet narrowly missed her head, she knew she had to take that chance.

"Commander," she said softly, wincing as another load of bullets ripped through the boxes. "I am about to shift, and probably end up getting hit by one of those darned biotics, so if you could try and kill them before they kill me, I would really appreciate it."

"Okay – I'm ready when you are."

_You are a stupid girl, risk-taking with no real life._

Anaya sighed, took a long breath and shifted, flipping to her feet and running.

She winced as a field of biotic attacks bulged behind her, and she hoped that they wouldn't hit her.

And then she was on fire.

Anaya bit her lip hard, ignoring the blood that got into her mouth as a biotic attack flung her across the room. The pain was unbearable, she just wanted it to stop, she wanted to end, to die.

She shifted back, panting as the pain dulled. Her ribs hurt like hell, probably from when she hit the wall.

"Bloody hell Anaya, are you alright?"

Anaya groaned in answer and clenched her fists – though the panic was gone as she was now surrounded by a load of metal crates.

_Ha. Stuff you morons._

She felt her consciousness fading as the biotic attack ravaged her mind, and she curled up small, clutching her head as the blackness overwhelmed her.

She hoped that they would take her with them.

()Operation Untouchable()

Garrus was relieved that they had all got out alive and pretty much uninjured, though Anaya had been unconscious and rushed straight to the medical bay.

Anaya opened her eyes slowly, a smile filling her face as she realised that she was on a ship, and definitely not one of he facility's.

A grey-haired woman conversed with the man who she guessed was Commander Shepard, but it soon halted when they saw her awake.

"How are you feeling?" Commander Shepard asked, sitting at the end of her bed, a friendly smile one his face.

"Okay thanks – and I can never thank you enough for getting me out of there."

Shepard smiled and patted her shoulder, looking up as a soldier informed that the council wanted to talk with him.

"It was not a problem Anaya."

Anaya stretched, thanking every god, star and anything else that she free. The word tasted unfamiliar in her moth, yet filled with the prospects of tomorrow.

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-Hope you like it, gentle critique and comments are appreciated!


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